Statement from Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, Director of the National
Institutes of Health, on the Death of Dr. Lee Jong-wook, WHO Director-General

Today we have lost a leader in the fight against global diseases. Dr. Lee has
been the positive force needed to draw the attention of the world and its leaders
to emerging threats such as pandemic flu, as well as to the global public health
challenges of our times, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

I have known him as a friend and colleague with a genuine passion for his work
and compassion for all humanity. This is a tragic loss for all of us. On behalf
of all the staff at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, I express my deepest
sympathy to Dr. Lee’s family and the staff of WHO.

Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D.
National Institutes of Health

The Office of the Director, the central office at NIH, is responsible for
setting policy for NIH, which includes 27 Institutes and Centers. This involves
planning, managing, and coordinating the programs and activities of all NIH
components. The Office of the Director also includes program offices which
are responsible for stimulating specific areas of research throughout NIH.
Additional information is available at http://www.nih.gov/icd/od/.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research
Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal
agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical
research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common
and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.